Sheidel wins Group One Oakleigh Plate

Sheidel has capped a day to remember for the Lindsay Park team and owner Robert Crabtree with her Oakleigh Plate win at Caulfield.

Only 40 minutes after brilliant filly Catchy won Saturday’s $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes for the same connections, Sheidel sped along in front under champion jockey Joao Moreira then fought off a challenge from stablemate Faatinah to land her first Group One win.

Like Catchy, Sheidel races in Crabtree’s red and white check colours and is trained by the Lindsay Park team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.

A multiple stakes winner, Sheidel was beaten in photo finishes in two Group One races in 2016, the Robert Sangster Stakes in Adelaide and the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth.

Sheidel ($8) defeated Faatinah ($41) by a length, with favourite Extreme Choice ($3.70) storming home to finish another nose away in third in the 1100m race.

“We were really confident with her,” David Hayes said.

“I think that Perth form was very underrated. And she was just spot on and she put the run up.”

Hong Kong-based Moreira had ridden Sheidel to a Group race win during last year’s Melbourne spring carnival and made the most of his trip to Australia, with Sheidel his second win for the day after a Group Two success on Savanna Amour.

While the Blue Diamond did not go to script for Moreira, finishing fifth on Property, he said Sheidel showed her class and heart.

“To win those races you need to have a good horse underneath you and it’s proven I had one today,” Moreira said.

“She’s just so speedy. She jumped out so quickly from the gates and travelled straight away on the bridle. When she was put under pressure by the horse on her outside, she just didn’t give up and kept attacking the line.

“She quite small in size but she’s got such a big heart in there.”

Crabtree is also a prominent breeder in Victoria.

Catchy and Sheidel are two horses he bought, and he said they would become part of his broodmare band.

Before Saturday, Crabtree had had only one Group One win, with Magnus in The Galaxy a decade ago.

“I’ve spent the whole of my racing life to get a Group One,” Crabtree said.

“Magnus got it and now I’ve got two in one day. Can you believe that.

“What a hell of a day at the office for us. To get a Group One double is unbelievable.”